PART TWO

15

Date …

Receiving the sortie order, Lu went up the ladder and get into the fighter. His squadron left the landing strips and flied to North East direction. The clear blue sky had no cloud. That was the third sortie in the row within that week. He advised himself: Everything will be OK and we will come back later.

The plane A37 leaned to one side and pressed the air.

-       305! Can you hear me clearly? Reply, please!

-       305 can hear you clearly!

-       Follow your team!

Lu connected his coworker, Majority Luc.

The plane was hedge-hopping. Lu took a look at the ground full of people and vehicles on the streets. The sun was very bright that day. The densest evacuation of “national forces” had been taking place before the attack campaign from the North of Vietnam was launched. The spirit of the streams of evacuees was supported by A37 airplanes whose owner was “Republican Air force” circling above their heads. Such planes played the role of stopping the attack “from the rears” of the troops from North of Vietnam and it was true that they sometimes swooped down to release bombs as well.

Ban Me Thuot was lost. Hue and Da Nang fell. The streams of people who were fleeing the attack of Vietcong were driving to the South Central of Vietnam …

Lu was puzzled. The Vietnam Republican armed services had never hurried off and rushed as strong as flood waters like that. As a fighting pilot with more than ten years experiences, his plane carrying bombs used to boss the show by supporting infantries in the combats in order to scramble for every inches of ground without yielding despite that those credits were mostly given American pilots. The aircrafts controlled by American pilots used to flock and overshadow the sky. They had skillfully dropped the bombs as though they had stuck bombs on Vietnamese Communists’ bases. Several flights of “Publican Air force” controlled by Vietnamese people like Lu just played an auxiliary part. It didn’t mean that they didn’t take part in the battles. In the year of the Monkey 1968, Lu’s air-crew gave its contribution in dislodging Vietcong from some positions in Hue city. In “fire and sword summer” 1972, Lu’s squadron used to carry out combined operations with American ones in pouring the bombs on Vietcong area in Quang Tri ancient town. Lu was repeatedly promoted to higher ranks. However, the confidence no longer stayed with him at that moment. How the troops from the North of Vietnam could drive “Vietnam Republican” army force like that as if they were driving the ducks to duck-house like that. The situation had become so critical that Lu’s side had to withdraw and take flight.

What would be going on if the troops from the North of Vietnam drove “Republican” army force to the center of Saigon?

Lu’s life was the life of a “glorious warrior”. He studied how to pilot a fighter jet in United State when he was 18. Returning home, the young handsome pilot brought the aureole with him wherever he arrived. He was not only swaggeringly heroic and romantic but also extraordinarily proud and poetic with his glowing disco dancing in Rex dance hall or his dreamlike boston in Craven one. He had felt the upper class girls’ soft waists, backs and immaculate white shoulders in Saigon. There used to be buds’ romantic glints passionately looking at their wartime idol. Lu used to get drunk by a glass of yellow shaking conag. The elegant chivalrous pilot used to receive the spontaneously sweet kisses. He used to enjoy soft mournful music songs and a few romantic loves … Lu used to throw into ecstasy of the perfume and beauty of a magnificent Saigon. He was a portrait of “epoch hero” in that period. What could be majestic than the image of the young pilot smoothly driving his Jeep on landing strip towards his fighter jet. Receiving the sound of flare as signal of an attack, the pilot sat on his rapacious bird which made the shivers and soared up to the blue sky. From the air battlefield, it poured firestorms on the earth just like the God of thunder vomiting out violent prophecies and flashes. It would never be back and sweep on the landing strip unless it produced a stir some airspace. The pilot with a specialized hat on his hand and a happy smile on his face were being merrily welcomed with open arms …

Nevertheless, his “gentlemanliness and romance” of the old days were then completely disappeared or changed into fearfulness. He always had butterflies in his stomach whenever he stepped in the aircraft. He wondered whether that was his last departure which made him have no chance to turn back due to the interception of powerful Mic 21 from the North of Vietnam Air force beside the dense network of antiaircraft guns which were being expanded to the South like rain-storm. What an unconquerable force! The bombing raids of Publican Air Force turned out to be a work for form’s sake or a scratch on scabies. That didn’t carry weight at all.

-       305! Can you hear me clearly? Reply, please!

-       305 can hear you clearly!

Lu kept regularly connecting. Below his position, the streams of people looked like a huge river flowing to the sea. What a typical escape infrequently happened in the history of mankind! It was quite seldom like that. Normally, the losers were running and contending or they partially withdrew, tried to hold their ground, struggled to the bitter end and the winner had to receive a remarkable loss as well. On the contrary, “everybody” was on the run. They “evacuated at their management”. That meant everybody escaped for oneself. It was wonderful for Vietcong to have such a miraculous fighting position. “Publican” camp unexpectedly left their places and they sought safety in flight like that no matter neither side could have occupied any inches of other’s ground for nearly 20 years of having a drawn battle. And thus how Vietcong advance could be stopped.

Lu circled his plane to the left, focused his attention on the target and pressed the button to release bomb. The impenetrable smoke appeared below him. Some Vietcong’s attack formation might receive his bomb. However, it was of little importance and looked like a magician’s miracle-like action. The large and powerful troops of “Vietnam Republican” armed services in the Central of Vietnam hadn’t carried weight, let alone several scattered jets.

Lu went on his air raid and he hadn’t come back until the bombs in his plane were run out. That was the safely fourth time of his in the week. He breathed a sigh of relief. The blessing of Lu’s family was still very thick.

Landing the A37 plane on Tan Son Nhat military air port, Lu rushed into his Jeep and quickly drove home in an air force housing compound after clearance all documentary procedures. Mrs. Vinh hugged her son tight. She had realized his recent sorties full of danger even though Lu kept that matter in his mind without saying a word. He didn’t want to make his mother worry. However, she still knew due to his Lu’s appearance which showed the countenance of person escaping death by an inch. Lu’s proud swaggering in the olden times whenever coming home from work was replaced with thoughtfulness and worry.

Mrs. Vinh was busy with opening the shower in the bathroom to get the warm water so that Lu could sink his body in it. She wanted to make his spirit less tense after the stressful time which could make the blood vessels in his mind broken. A glass of cold fruit juice was prepared in advance for Lu in the living room when he presented:

-       Let you have a drink … I’ve already known all the situations – She pointed at the radio – The news is repeatedly informed by Hanoi and other countries channels. What a dangerous circumstance! What will go on – She gave a sigh – We are here, in Saigon as if we are sitting on the fire while your father is in his office in Phan Rang. When will Vietcong carry the war there?

-       It’s still a long way off – Lu set his mom’s mind at rest – Phan Rang is the last line of defense to block Vietcong. According to our President’s plan, Phan Rang is going to be the place to stand his ground. Vietcong’s land is from Phan Rang to the North and our national soil is from Phan Rang to the South.

-       That means Phan Rang will never fall into the hands of Vietcong.

-       It will be like that.

Lu talked to his mummy but he also reassured himself.

Mrs. Vinh suspiciously heaved a sigh. Nothing could put her mind at ease at that moment. She was going to be in the condition of breaching the dikes and being flooded out. She had faced many difficulties in her life and she had never felt as hopeless as that time being. In all previous troubles, she always had ways to flee but at that moment she could find out any destination. She hadn’t expected to drop in such a circumstance. Annamist people in the old days usually said that: “What a happy District chief’s wife!”. In the eyes of the people who lived with fresh bamboo ramparts and squalors, the District chief – parents-like mandarins were highest ranking and happiest ones. She herself had received the title District chief’s wife since she was 16 with her first period. How very glorious she was! Everybody even elderly had to respect her, a little girl: “Hello! District chief’s better half!”. Ridiculously, the young District chief’s spouse narrowly urinated by accident because of fear dated 19 August 1945 when villagers with full of quarterstaffs, matchlocks, lances and scimitars on their hands flocked to the office of Thuan An District and seized power. The glowing enthusiasm among such poor streams of people seemed to “wipe the floor” with parents-like mandarin’s family. The District chief was tremblingly submitting the seal, royal diplomas and certificates to his “servant” Vu Hung in the court. Meanwhile, she was shaking with fear when a group of militia was dashing into her private house. Her eyes were dazzled. She was begging while she was ducking and pressing the hollows of her hands against each other before shaking.

-       It’s you, Nhu … Straighten your back! Revolution spares all the surrenders. District chief Vinh has already yielded to revolution. Nobody will do anything on Nhu. Revolution just searches thoroughly your house and confiscates the weapons … - The team leader of civil defense said.

Nhu looked up and cheered loudly:

-       You are brother Tuc … I keep imagining another person and thus I’m so scared …

-       Yes! It’s me! Tuc! You had seldom come back Gia Binh village since the date you were “District chief’s wife”. You had already forgotten everybody.

-       Are there many our villagers flocking to here for “seizing power” today …?

-       Yes, there are lots of people. I am “seizing power” and meeting Nhu at the same time to see how “the little girl who was my countrywoman” looked like. The main thing is to protect Nhu. I’m afraid that Nhu will be beaten and fastened in the state of “chaos” and you will be in pitiful situation. There is a district by the river. The people who led truant lives took advantage of seizing power in order to force their way, catch the district chief’s better half and daughters and raped them …

-       Wow! What a terrible case! Thank you, brother Tuc so much for concerning of me.

-       Not at all! We are “childhood friends” …

Mrs. District chief’s Nhu became quite confident. It had better to have old friend. Nhu and Tuc often played the game “blind-man’s-buff” together when they were kids. The scholar Thao had taught Vietnamese language and Han script to Nhu. He also allowed Tuc to study without taking any teaching fee. Both read loudly and unceasingly manual composed of sentences of three words, traced and copied the syllables a, b, c. Tuc specialized in catching dragonflies. He used to give Nhu the ones as red as ripe capsicums. One time, he gave Nhu a very green cockchafer which made Nhu be bewitched so much that she kept it in an empty box of match. Nhu cried when the may-bug died of hunger. The little boy Tuc couldn’t manage to get the second green beetle no matter he had searched the whole garden. Since then, Tuc had never had anything else more precious than the above mentioned insect to give Nhu and make Nhu happy.

Nhu had shot up and was extraordinarily beautiful. She became “District chief’s wife” and perfectly forgot the boy Tuc. Perhaps, it was because he couldn’t capture the second “cockchafer” to give Nhu …

One year ago, Tuc and Gia Binh village mayor had to stand trial in a lawsuit in Thuan An court. Both greeted Nhu by pressing the hollows of their hands against each other before shaking and saying when Nhu invited “the countrymen” for cups of tea: “Mrs. District chief! Please advise your husband to help us to win our case. We owe Mrs. District chief a debt of gratitude”.

Everything changed. It was just one year and Nhu had to press the hollows of her hands against each other before shaking in front of her old acquaintances.

-       “Sirs!”. Come in and have a drink, please! Nhu talked to a group of militia in Gia Binh village.

They were doing revolutionary works. How she could invite them to her house as though she met them on the street or in the market.

-       Well! Some other time! Firstly, we must march and demonstrate the enthusiasm in order to prepare for seizing power in the provincial office and arresting the Viceroy of Tonkin tomorrow.

-       Yah! Goodbye “sirs”! – Nhu saluted everybody. She also gave the District office a “salute” to move back the Stone Farming House on that afternoon. She became a civilian. However, she had a destiny of “being mandarin’s wife” which was arranged by the heaven. She moved from the Stone Farming House to Gia Lam province and took the title Mrs. Vice Province chief within one or two years. She went on wearing fashionable long dresses, golden rings with a purse on her hands. She had driver carried in the limousine. She had ups and downs of life which felt so low that she had to leave her house and property, take the flight and “flee” to Saigon on foreign soil.

The little Nhu was called Mrs. Nhu after nearly 20 years. It was a true old woman but not “too young lady with high-ranking title” as she used to be. That time, she was Mrs. Lieutenant governor of a big province. Her son was a pilot. They lived in a villa located in Tan Son Nhat air force housing compound … Her husband was a mandarin working in the Central of Vietnam. He stayed at home a couple of times within a month. They lives were prosperous and peaceful. She used to believe that she would lead an even life till she died. She didn’t expect to be cornered by Vietminh “chased to the end of the perch”.

Firstly, she was driven in the office of Thuan An district. Secondly, she fled from the North to the South of Vietnam. Thirdly, she was chased to the last end. The Vietcong’s tanks, cannons, AK and B40 were being expanded the circles of their activities like rain-storm. The “National” troops had a non-stop lumbering run along the Central of Vietnam. Nhu realized that she “took revolution as her bad omen”. The revolution hadn’t spared her despite she had narrowly urinated by accident because of fear for many times. How revolution could keep bearing her a grudge like that. That time, she would have no possibility of escape.

-       What kind of food Vietcong is having so that they can perform such a very strong fighting like that – Mrs. Vinh asked Lu.

-       Huh … - Lu dragged a half-smile out of his lips.

-       And do you know who Vietcong is? What have they struggled with all their lives for?

-       Vietcong are Uncle Duc Ham, my brother Trung, uncle Vu Hung. They are no ones but all our cognates. Do you remember Uncle Vu Hung? According to what I have been informed, uncle Hung is a lieutenant-general who is called “General with a scared head and two stars hierarchy” on Saigon radio channel because he had been wounded in his head and a scar was formed, a part of his hair behind his ear was lost. He is commanding a regular army which is carrying the war into our line of defense in Phan Rang. Documents were also assembled to broadcast his biography on French radio channel saying that the “scared head” general was made “Grey Tiger shogun” among the common people in Thanh Do area in 1946 when he was 20. The scared head general’s troops are unconquerably developed for the time being. The American commanders in Washington “are in a sweat” and they are afraid that the final defense line where the struggle to bitter end to hold their ground will be taken place in Phan Rang is going to be lost. The legends about “general with a scared head and two stars hierarchy” are rumoring among “Publican Armed services” with great concern. What a formidable man! Just acknowledging the name of “scared head general”, The “National” troops have already been frightened.

Let you remember the event “The year of the Monkey in 1968”. You and our whole family had to hide ourselves in unison in the toilet and press our body on the floor while the ceremonial offerings were being happened. The voices of explosions and gunshots were earth-shaking and resounding as though Saigon was going to be occupied. Vietcong had even carried the war into the American embassy, let alone anywhere else. Vietcong had risen up in arms all over the corners of the cities in the South of Vietnam. You know who was the person taking part in supplying Vietcong troops with concrete guidance so as to attack Saigon at that time? It was our “servant”! It was Uncle Vu Hung. Base on our intelligence sources, we know all situation. Our spies have closely followed every “scared head general’s” activities. I had received many sortie orders which stated that I had to co-ordinate American pilots in dropping bombs on “scared head general’s” headquarters base. The name of Vu Hung is quite familiar with publican commanders. I and my father had to reduce to silence without “proudly” revealing even a word that he used to be our “hired man” whenever listening to the reports for he was a feather in our caps as well as a danger to our lives. We were white with fear. Really!

Mrs. Vinh uttered “small-minded persons had to get bags and sticks just in case” words:

-       If your Uncle Hung’s troops attack Saigon and Vietcong takes up our family we must call his name as “our family members” right away so that we are able to be protected …

-       It will be useless and give no account of ourselves. “The law’s the law”. Uncle Hung can help us with nothing.

-       He can. I’m sure – Mrs. Vinh insisted on raising objections – He is a human being but not a stone or a section of a tree trunk. How he can be indifferent …

In the evening, Mrs. Vinh and Lu switched on the television. Thieu President was calling a struggle to the bitter end to hold Phan Rang. BBC radio was announcing the news saying that the condition of Phan Rang envelopment was formed by Liberation army. A long-distance call from Phan Rang was rung at 10 o’clock in the evening.

-       It’s me! Your father! You should encourage and support your mother’s spirit – It was a Duc Vinh’s phone. He was whispering over the phone – Simultaneously, you must prepare everything for the worst case. Your suitcases must be well arranged at the ready so that we can flee at any time.

-       We have already been in the centre of Saigon. Where else can we move, daddy?

-       We will flock the sea and the American dreadnought will receive us there. Then, it will send us to United State. If the Americans leave the South of Vietnam they will have responsibility for the evacuation of their “allies”.

-       Dad! Saigon and our nation can be lost, can’t they?

-       Nobody can predict the development of situation. Let’s prepare everything as a precautionary measure. Up to now, the United State hasn’t got any slightest commotion showing that they will save the South of Vietnam from falling into the hands of the North of Vietnam. The National Assembly of United State is still considering whether they should aid the South of Vietnam 300 millions dollars. How sarcastic it is! If they don’t quickly act it will be accounted too late in spite of spending 300 millions or even 3 billions dollars.

-       American Air Forces should swarm into bombing attack in order to stop Vietcong’s advance. Perhaps, the situation will be saved if American Naval Forces immediately lands in seaports like what President Johnson did in 1968 when he had remained the quantity of soldiers in the South of Vietnam up to 550 thousands.

-       It will never happen again. The American people are fed of with the war. The National Assembly of United State had stopped their aid. The American President’s policy is “let Vietnamese people fight Vietnamese people” in Vietnamese theatre of war. In brief, The American government had totally washed its hands of the South of Vietnam whose struggle will be left alone. People in the South of Vietnam will survive if they win and vice versa. They will die if they lose … The United State had already withdrawn from the confrontation to the death between the two sides: Capitalism and Socialism …

-       Dad! Will we be immerged in such a historical whirlwind?

-       You should find your own way of surviving. Firstly, you must alive. Then, you take life as it comes. You mustn’t die. To die means to finish everything.

-       How about Phan Rang front?

-       It was shelled by Vietcong all night yesterday. The commanders were shouting and calling a consolidation of defense line and a struggle to the bitter end to hold their ground … Well! Nobody can be smart in front of the heaven. I commend my soul to my fate and let it be. On the contrary, you must be the master of your destiny. You are still young. You must live to maintain the continuity of Nguyen Duc family line. You must understand what I’ve said. You must take a chance if you have any, or rather, you should create a chance by yourself to find a way to survive.

-       Set your mind at rest!

The tone over the phone turned out to be similar to the sound of shuffling sandals with the roaring echoes of cannons letting off. A torrent of strident explosions had been raised before the tone reduced to silence.

-       Alo … Alo … - Lu called loudly. He was replied by uh uh sounds of the tone like the whistle of the wind on a long-distance road from Phan Rang to Saigon.

Date …

Duc Vinh crept out of the trench shelter. The sky was overcast with dense dark clouds in Phan Rang in the evening. The flashes of shells lit up up and down. The strong smell of smoke, fire and human in crowd was pervading the city. The armed forces appeared everywhere. The survival of the units which used to garrison in Ban Me Thuot, Hue, Da Nang had formed miscellaneous remnants of defeated armies on the account of being scattered or being unable to gather anymore. Having no food, they had robbed of edibleness. Nobody could control them. They kept running. They became exhausted whenever being attacked by Vietcong. Their wives, children and babies who were carried in their mothers’ arms were swarming along behind with the losers. Soldiers and people were mingled. What a mob with all means of transportations such as cars, motor-cycles and bicycles seeking safety from the war! Their leaders had already evacuated in advance by sea and by air. They were let alone to flee with their family by land.

Duc Vinh felt anxiety in his heart as if he was sitting on a fire. His administrative apparatus there where he was the chief had been disintegrated. His officials had left their offices so as to arrange their suitcases, hampers and trunks at the ready so that we could flee at any time. The front hadn’t broken yet. There, the “evacuate at your pleasure” order hadn’t announced yet and thus everybody hadn’t allowed moving. The streets were blocked by sentinels. The president was calling a struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground and an interception of Vietcong’s advance. Everybody had no right to evacuate to Saigon. However, the President’s words didn’t find acceptance. Nobody believed in a “struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground” anymore. The water had run high up to the banks and would rush in noisily at any time the impoundment was broken.

Duc Vinh used a walkie-talkie to connect with major-general commander in the battle zone – the person who supplied concrete guidance in a struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground. The major-general said:

-       Compose yourself! Firmly consolidate your shelter-pit! The evacuation which may cause the puzzlement for the spirit of soldiers in a struggle to the bitter end to hold their ground is forbidden. All the government armies coming here from Hue are the waste. Even so, they are forced to stay here and they aren’t allowed moving from Phan Rang to Saigon. One who is against this order will be shot. I have asked my chief officers for assembling them who will be members of new establishment fighting units. I’m sure that there will be a combat to the finish here. That is a decisive battle to stop Vietcong. The defensive troops are being strengthened. Lines of resistance are being reinforced. The Phan Rang defense line is established due to the suggestion of the general C. Weyand – The United State Chief of ground staff premeditatedly but not accidentally. The President had driven 75.000 soldiers of all kinds to this place. The air division in Thanh Son air port has 100 planes.

Sir! Vice Province chief! Please have peace of mind! We will struggle to the knife here to block Vietcong’s advance and won’t allow them carrying the war into Saigon.

Duc Vinh didn’t give credence to what the major-general commander in the battle zone had informed. All the generals who used to hold on to Tay Nguyen, Hue and Da Nang had had the same tongue like that to boost the morale of everybody before the arrival of liberation troops since March … But, the National troops had already dispersed their front and run away when the liberation troops appeared or even they hadn’t attacked with resultant force yet. The liberation troops were fighting as if they were rolling a mat or pulling a woolen thread whose knots were easily unfastened. Duc Vinh didn’t expect to see such a fast ending condition. The “Vietnam Republican” State which had been set up for 20 years made the American aid flied. The American soldiers were overwhelming the South of Vietnam. Both sides were having a drawn complexion of the war during the last years. However, a part of territory in the South of Vietnam had been occupied within more than a month only. Moreover, the noose was then tightening little by little. The fish was being caught in a chopping-board. There was no possibility of escape. All his life was against Vietminh – Vietcong. He was the leader of administrative machinery there. He was the representative of Republican government there. He was a high-ranking officer of contemporary regime. His fate and such a topical game of chess were associated.

Duc Vinh was drowsing in his dug-out which was built by firm concrete under the Provincial palace. With the dim light, there wasn’t any different between day and night. The time seemed to be shortened. He was a bundle of nerves and in anxious suspense. Duc Vinh couldn’t remember how long he had slept or whether he had gone out like a light much or less. His spiritual state was continuously sunk in the hum hum sounds of gunfire spreading from his above ground. Then, he jumped out of his skin when a nearby sharp explosion was resounded. It was cannon. The Vietcong’s cannons were violently formidable. Vinh shivered hard. The combat had stated.

Vinh nestled closer and huddled himself up in the shelter-pit while his hands were clutching at his portfolio in which the important documents and a seal of administrative body were carried. A memory floated through his mind. The Thuan An district chief’s powerful symbols in 1945 were A bronze seal and a royal diplomas and certificates. The Gia Lam Vice Province chief’s leather briefcase was brought on the Dakota plane in 1954. And then, the Phan Rang Vice Province chief’s bag in which a seal – a symbolic object were being carried. He was wondering to whom he was going to hand over such seal.

The pieces of the ceiling of the dug-out were floating off and incoherently dropped on his head due to the effect of cannon explosions. The sound of gunshots in the battle seemed to tear the sky. The condition of human beings was just like an ant or a cockroach at that moment. One’s life would be ended by a random tiny shot or a stray shell. Everything was a full stop.

Duc Vinh was ducking in the shelter-pit like a camel was lowering its head in the desert. He pressed his two fingers on his ears to avoid shaking the nerves with sounds. He was praying for the support of Heaven, Buddha and God. That was the first time in Vinh’s life an idea of wishing a supper natural power floated through his mind. Human was nothing in comparison with such juridical capacity …

The sound of cannons being let off resulted in the paralysis of Duc Vinh’s nervous system. He was in great fear. He had never felt like being in the jaws of the death like that. The King of Terrors was raising his fatal shears close to the nape of Duc Vinh’s neck. When the cannon voices reduced to silence and the sound of shotguns could be heard clearly Vinh’s fear was more and more increasing and travel every root of his hair. He thought the liberation troops were going to overflow into his place …

Date …

The front had been broken. People for themselves were automatic escaping despite the “evacuation” order hadn’t delivered to Phan Rang defense line struggling to the bitter end to hold the ground. Duc Vinh’s car was jostling among the military trucks and speeding straight forward in the direction of Saigon. The whole Command post of Army corps defending Phan Rang including a Senior-colonel and a Lieutenant-general was taken alive without getting escape on their three tanks even when they had already started running. Among 100 planes in the air port were 51 undamaged ones confiscated by Vietcong. Everybody was taken alive: 11 tanks and armor-plates that looked like mobile strongholds running and shooting without scaring anything couldn’t manage to run away, 1.600 infantries with their of course unfortunate destinies had raised their hands for surrendering and given up their weapons and even the planes which were full of fuel had nothing to wait but took off and flied in the endless blue sky. How incomprehensible it was!

In such circumstance, it was considered to build castles in the air when Duc Vinh’s cars were able to get out of danger.

Duc Vinh’s smartest decision was made right after a Vietcong’s shell dropped some meters out of the head of his car which would be smashed up if its speed was a minute faster. A white flag was raised and Duc Vinh himself was holding the handle of the flag. His example was followed in succession. Other cars had their own white flags as well. They all wanted to live. The cold sound of Vietcong’s tank chains which didn’t turn smoothly were echoing behind them while the shells from cannon barrels were repeatedly firing at them.

Duc Vinh stood still. The car engine was stopped operating. What a very beautiful flag made of a square piece of spotless white brand new poplin fabrics with surrounding hem and a stainless steel handle! That meant a “protocol” which used to perform in Provincial Palace and was accustomed to diplomatic ceremonies was carefully prepared in advance. Not like other military units, they were “in a very slipshod manner” by tearing their white shirt and fastening it on the gun barrel serving as a flag …

The car carrying commander of a Vietcong battalion left all the other cars behind and stopped at Duc Vinh’s position. One Liberation Captain in rumpled clothes merging with gun-smoke steeped forward:

-       Liberation army accepts your surrender. Everybody! Give up your stand of arms!

All kinds of guns were being handed over in succession. A Liberation assistant run to meet the Captain:

-       Report to Battalion chief Viet Thieu! Radio transmitter said that Corps Commander ordered us to escort all the prisoners of war to Phan Rang and take Phan Rang Vice Province chief to Corps Commander’s place.

The defeatist cars noisily wheeled round.

The Captain named Viet Thieu ordered his staff to supply concrete guidance in marching the prisoners of war. He got in the leading tank, weaved the trucks carrying Liberation land forces ahead to the direction of Xuan Loc …

… It was 6 o’clock in the evening.

The Phan Rang town was overwhelming with wild darkness. The scattered fires were burned unsteadily. The smell of gun-smoke and corpses was pervading the air. The blood was spreading on the pavements. The streets were full of camouflaged combat clothing which were thrown off and left from the escape.

The car sent Duc Vinh to Provincial Palace. The Phan Rang Liberation Corps headquarters set up its commanding position there. Duc Vinh wheeled round right in the hall of his “Vice Province chief” position. The name plates which hadn’t been detached were still on the top of the door. The green “Vice Province chief” plate was very large. However, the yellow flag with three red strips pattern had been taken away.

The Liberation soldiers animatedly had a come-and-go.

A light blue halo was spreading on the big glassed table. The Corps Commander was sitting there and listening to an operation officer whose finger was pointing at the fighting map placing on the desk …

-       One Vietcong serviceman stood at attention and informed – Report to Corps Commander! The prisoner of war named Vice Province chief Duc Vinh was arrived!

The Corps Commander looked up. The light blue aureole reflected on his seasoned face …

Duc Vinh jumped out of his skin and was flabbergasted.

-       Please have a sit! - The Corps Commander pointed at a chair …

Who was it in front of Vinh? It was unable to be confused. How narrow the earth was! They were old acquaintances …

-       Are you Duc Vinh, Vice Province chief in Phan Rang and had you been conducting the administrative apparatus here? – The Corps Commander asked.

-       Yes, sir! The Lieutenant-general! I’m Duc Vinh!

-       Are you staying here for a struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground in Phan Rang?

-       Yes … but that was the order applied to military side while we were in charge of administrative and civilian works.

-       Half hour ago, in this room, we had made preliminary cross-examinations your big wheels including Province chief and generals controlled the activities in battle zone. And you, the functional departments will work with you in particular. Our meeting today is your presentation and my recommendations. You must let us know clearly what our military management committee wants including all the organizations and parties here, the archives and documentary files, the system of spies and CIA, the weapon treasures, the stubborn dens, the forces lurking about to withstand Liberation government …

-       Yes, sir! I’m ready to serve Military management Committee.

Duc Vinh carried forward the briefcase he has been gripping in his arms since the fighting started taking place.

-       Those are all the most important documents. Please to present you.

-       Is there a seal represented Vice Province chief? - The Corps Commander ridiculously made a light smile.

-       Yes, there is …

-       Is there an “ivory badge of a mandarin”? – He made a full smile without malice …

-       No, …

-       Please feel secure! Revolution will be charitable towards those who show repentance and desire to redeem their faults. Nobody does anything which harms on your life …

-       Yah … Thank you! Lieutenant-general!

-       You used to be Gia Lam Vice Province chief and now you were still Vice Province chief. You hadn’t got any promotion in spite of 20 years passed by - The Corps Commander remarked in an artificially divided mind.

-       Yes …

-       What do you think about this war?

-       Well! We are unjust side. What we had done was wrong. We tried to cling on to a regime which was so thoroughly corrupt that United State was unendurable and had to withdraw. Revolution is going to get a complete victory and a national unity. The war is going to end. Frankly speaking, I feel that is a historical indispensableness.

-       Did you think like that when you handed over the badge of a mandarin and royal diplomas and certificates in the court of Thuan An district dated 19 August 1945?

-       No … At that time, I …  was too young to understand the fact of contemporary situation …

-       You don’t remain young now in deed …

-       Yes … My life is hovering on the verge of death …

Date …

The dew was hanging in the rubber forest at dusk. The battalion commander Viet Thieu swung a hammock and lay down. He had had tense nerves like strings of musical instruments for days. He was trying to look for some relax minutes so that the day after that day he would enter a decisive combat to the death.

Viet Thieu swayed the hammock. In his eyes, the sky and the leaf canopy seemed to rock back and forth. A single dead leaf was hovering. Then, a warble was raised. What a strange voice! The chirp like a drop of limpid water was standing on his dry cracked lips after he had been sitting the sound of war much more than his ears could in the whole month. The song of the bird was gently soft and slow. It sang with a catch in its voice. How extraordinarily Thieu was! He appeared to think of a concept, a sound in contrast between that of a bird and a mountain of lethal weapons. A low voice of a bird dared to “be in opposition” to the whole sky being resoundingly lit up by the flashes of fire and iron. Thieu smiled. One bird which was as small as a leaf was still unscathed without an iota of damage to its feather there while the lethal weapons were being scattered up and down. It kept flying and sang when the struggle was temporarily stopped.

My dear bird! Tried to manage and soon fly to another place as there was going to be an exchange of shots which was many times more violent than before and everything wouldn’t remain intact even a leaf from the day after that day. How you could know where you should hide yourself. Receiving the order from the Front Corps Commander Vu Hung, Thieu assembled his battalion in that piece of forest in order to take part in “reducing a Xuan Loc defense line” whose national puppet general named Le Minh Dao was very famous for braveness and strength and was standing his ground in Saigon. Thieu’s battalion had just been appointed to a new task, completed with soldiers, consolidated, equipped and upgraded to “veteran unit” which was in charge of hazardous mission and flying into the centre of enemy’s headquarters.

The Corps Commander Vu Hung believed in Thieu who was Duc Trung’s companion-in-arms. The Corps Commander had considered Duc Trung as his “member of the family”. Previously, Trung had introduced Thieu to Hung when they met at the headquarters by accident at times. Hung had a liking for Thieu at the first sight. Thieu’s stuff attracted Hung’s attention. Hung had found out an eminent skill and spirit which was suitable for an operation commander in Thieu.

A half year before the campaign, Duc Trung’s unit was rearranged. Trung was appointed to Tank – armor-plate brigade directly under Vu Hung’s army corps whereas Thieu was assigned to be in charge of “crack unit”. The campaign preparation was planed in order. Sine then, the target of “marching in Saigon” was counted as a light brightening the minds of liberation soldiers. Among tank – armor-plate section controlled by Trung, brothers had excitedly learnt by heart the song name “Marching in Saigon”… whose rhythm was grand and hurried:

The smiles are choked with bitter cries though the city is overwhelming with lights.

The invaders are close to death up and down in our country …

Marching in Saigon, we’ll sweep away the enemy.

Marching in a delta, we’ll march in the city.

What an uncanny song which obsessed everybody’s brain! Till then, the content of the song came true. Trung’s tank chain started operating and was speeding as fast as a cascade or an inundation. That seemed to break all the dark clouds.

The enemy’s defense lines which had been broken through were Phan Rang and Phan Thiet but not Xuan Loc where the unexpected stop was taken place until that moment. The real struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground was taken defense measures in that front line by General Le Minh Dao who looked like a beast driven to the corner of the wall. It had no way to run but “stand position”, raised its claws and showed its fangs. The mission of Viet Thieu’s battalion was to pare its claws and to pull its tusks out. It wasn’t easy at all to extend the hands into its mouth and go through with assignment.

Date …

Every volley of cannons letting off sounded hastily and cracked the ground. The sky and the earth seemed to be rumpled. Every mass of cloud seemed to be torn. The roar of steel was bossing the show in the aspects of space and time. It superciliously mocked at the life on earth. Lots of leaves, lives and tiles were vanished in the air. The walls were wide fissured.

The sound of all kind of guns shooting seemed to weave into a mesh in which all creatures that were changed into soft little shrimps were struggling. The air was overwhelming with “narcotic”. People were under anesthetic. Their noses and ears were bleeding. They had bloodshot eyes and they shouted incessantly. The gun-smoke looked like “the fog in London” which hid everything. The air was burning with fever. The burnt smell strongly rushed to people’s noses. The terribly grievous fear appeared everywhere. The deaths “beaten to a pulp” were as much as the air.

Xuan Loc: the ground was chosen by historic indispensableness as a place for both sides to be in contact with guns and ammunition.

The Corps Commander Vu Hung was sitting in the directive shelter-pit. It was quite a real struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground operated by National side. From the beginning of the campaign, National camp had never fought but run without looking back along all the streets in the Centre of Vietnam. Some general whose front in the Centre of Vietnam was broken lost his staffs and went jogging in Quang Nam forest just like a woodlander. Luckily, the boat going the rounds which was coasting realized his help signal and picked up him at Da Nang seaport otherwise he might become monkey in the forest. Phan Rang – Phan Thiet defense lines had performed their ineffectiveness. Until then, the struggle to the bitter end to hold the ground was actually presented in its full meaning. Right after receiving the report, Vu Hung immediately gave orders to his directions of attack. It was not easy at all to skin an unripe fruit with its too hard peel. Even so, political commissar had already delivered the “firm determination” to all soldiers: We must be the winner. Our target isn’t any other thing but a victory only and Saigon is in front of us.

The news about the killed and wounded of liberation troops was reported. What a quite high figure! That was a ready-for-death strength measurement. That was the heaviest amount of casualties during the last two months the liberation operation was being implemented at lightening speed. Nevertheless, we still had to accept what the history had happened. How could a “nation” or a “regime” be overthrown without any “struggle” at its last moment? After all, such the “struggle” hadn’t been accounted hardly enough yet …

… The strength measurement was being taken place in all the streets, the corners, the paths in the forest. The National “ready-for-death” units had fired to the last bullets before they died or surrendered. Viet Thieu and his battalion had already penetrated deep into “the eye of a hurricane” area. With bitten lips, bloodshot eyes and cold face, he issued an instruction of letting off the fire-power towards the enemy as much as a rain of storm. A large number of his staffs had fallen in front of him. Their effusion of blood looked like the streams. They were repeatedly reaching up their hands in the space as though they were signaling the enemy objective point ahead to Thieu. Viet Thieu couldn’t remember how many his comrades’ dead bodies he had left behind to take his élite battalion flying at the enemy. The gusts of shots whose sound was zoom zoom was rapidly whizzing past his ears. The so many bullets had glided on his iron helmet and made it splashed with fire. Viet Thieu directly used his walkie-talkie to report to the Corps Commander Vu Hung that his contemporary troop strength was less than the killed amount. The Corps Commander had brought his battalion up to timely strength. Thieu’s unit had carried out the non-stop fire-power attacks into the “defensive headquarters”.

The soldier’s most precious quality was valiance. It was completely wrong if all the National combatants and the ready-for-death fighters to the bitter end to hold their ground were taken for uncourageous warriors. That time, they weren’t afraid of being gathered to their fathers. They were ready for going to the next world. And they had launched into eternity. Their corpses were sunbathing all over the roads in Xuan Loc.

The battle in Xuan Loc had been violently occurring for 10 days. Those present were the intrepid Division 18, the armored group 5, 15, 22, the parachute Brigade 1, the special task Federation 33 and the Regiment 8. The total forces assembling in the defense line were 9 cavalry combat units and 8 security battalions on the spot.

Such a steel door was accounted rather firm. Even so, it was perfectly destroyed by revolutionary soldiers among the ones in Vu Hung’s Army corps co-operating with other units and the ways leading to Saigon had been cleared. The purple dust caused by attack fire was pervading the air in the edge of Saigon city. That looked like the incineration deployment preparing for Vietnam Republican government (Saigon) and the war of another nation whose boast was to be wealthiest and have the greatest numbers of lethal weapons in the circle of the world’s comparison …

Date …

Lu started the engine of his Jeep at the gate of his house. Mrs. Vinh came out:

-       Are you going to attend your alert unit?

-       Yes, I am.

-       Are you going to sortie today?

-       Maybe yes and maybe no.

-       My dear! I’m very worry. Try to manage by going sick and find some excuse. In such an uncomfortable emotional state, you no need to scare. The Hanoi radio station on the North of Vietnam channel has said that: The Xuan Loc defense line had been already broken through. The Liberation troops are going to overflow Saigon. How your daddy’s life is!

-       Perhaps, he is among the streams of evacuating people. By the same token, Republican Air Forces has to make bombing raid to delay Vietcong’s advance and help our people with escape.

-       Not likely! Let alone anybody do their bombing attack. You are my unique son. Let you go sick. Spare illness. Refuse to elderly’s work. Nobody can pilot the jet while he isn’t in good condition.

-       I mustn’t. You know! I’m going to receive death sentence if I refuse fighting order at the moment. Don’t worry! I have already gone on many sorties for the whole month and I’m still Ok. You see!

Mrs. Dic Vinh breathed a sigh. The Jeep rushed at high speed and she had lost sight of him. She came in and kept listening to Hanoi radio station. She couldn’t know all the situations in the front unless she listened to Hanoi radio station. They were marching in Saigon …

… The whole Saigon was seething dated 29 April 1975. Mrs. Vinh had wailed endlessly. She hadn’t received any news from her husband at all since the date the Phan Rang front was broken. He had been already no longer with her or was captured otherwise he had to be certainly in Saigon.

Mrs Duc Vinh was hopeless. It was accounted fortunately if he was arrested. How sorrowful he was if he fell due to a random shot or arrow because it meant she would lose his corpse which belonged to the common grave!

She slightly opened the gate to look at the street. Military trucks and civilian cars were crazily running. The people were scurrying up and down in all directions looking for. The flights carrying evacuees were roaring above her head.

The night before that night, a rain of Vietcong’s cannons was poured into Tan Son Nhat air port. That caused a terrible earthquake. Staying in the new dug-out in the back yard, Mrs. Vinh sprayed to God, Buddha, Saints and the Holy Mother for blessedness, help and protect. The bullets skimmed the roof-stops zoom zoom and sounded as if they stopped in the direction of landing strips. A gun was shot straight a powder-magazine and the splashes of it lit up a whole area like firecrackers.

Lu hadn’t come back since the day before that day. Mrs. Vinh was alone in her house. To be honest, she didn’t know what to do at that moment. Lu asked her to prepare two suitcases of precious things. What were the most valuable articles for that time being? She hadn’t got a lot of gold, silver and diamond … that were carried in a small box. How about clothes? They were chickenfeed, but what to wear on the way evacuating without them. The dry foodstuff wasn’t worth much at all in comparison with glass-ware, porcelain and electronic commodities, but the state of starvation would be come about without it. People couldn’t go without food even a day. At last, the suitcases sat none but the cheapest stuff such as dry provision, instant noodle and clothes … Objects of value weren’t collected but left including the villa with all conveniences, luxurious interior of Europe and perfect equipments.

Mrs. Vinh arranged her husband’s picture which was taken while he was standing and reporting to the President on the occasion of President’s going on an inspection in Phan Rang. It was just a photograph. That was accounted very little. It couldn’t be. There was still spare room in the suitcases. Therefore, she stuffed the suitcase with a whole album in spite of its extreme heaviness. The “past” would be lost if those images were no longer existence. Not likely! She had to have them so that she could have a look at times so as to revive her memories. In a picture of the young parents-like mandarin couple taking in the court of Thuan An district, the District chief was in silk clothes with a turban on his head and a badge of mandarin on his chest. She was in a fashionable peach-colored long dress with an auspicious “lemuyr” and a golden ring on her neck. In another photograph, the Gia Lam Vice Province chief with a very shiny head to which brilliantine was applied was entering Quang Lac theatre with his wife in order to enjoy the reformist drama named Lan and Diep. The image of The Stone Farming House, her husband’s hometown showed the young district having tea with his mother. The other one was the portrait of her son who was fresh out of school in United State weaving his parents a hello in the air port … How much the pictures were! She had a life with transitory periods. Then, she was going to leave everything but those two certain numbers of suitcases carrying nothing but the cheapest stuffs named clothes and dry provision …

Mrs. Vinh ventured to go out on the streets so that she could “have a look” how people were seeking safety from the war. That was quite a risky evacuation. She heard on the grapevine that the big wheels, ministers and their relatives crowdedly flocked to American Embassy to wait for their turn so as to get in the planes which would carry them to the American vessels in the open sea. The roads leading to Vung Tau from Saigon were jammed with vehicles which were moving there for getting boats and putting out to sea. The whole people in the South of Vietnam were gathering to Saigon where they started following all directions in order to assemble on American dreadnoughts on the high sea. They had no ways to live but run. Within 20 years, a great number of people had worked for American and National side. They came guilty with Revolution in the long run and thus they were going to be sure to receive prison sentences at least when Revolution was going to come into power. By the same token, they had to flee. They were accustomed to freely live in regal splendor with cars, multistoried houses, hired men, maidservants, foreign milk and butters. How they could stand the Vietcong’s living conditions with ration tickets of 13 kilograms rice a month and 5 meters fabrics a year … As a result of that, they had to run away. They had to follow United State to the last gasp. America where there were gold-inlaid pavements, properties as much as water was the richest country. There, people could be bone-idle, did nothing but waited and money was always coming in to them. By applying “social security” policy, the government would support all the jobless people in the right meaning with USD 600 per month. What a wonderful America! How wealthy it was! That was a destination for all Vietnamese emigrants.

Mrs. Duc Vinh was waiting for her son. The whole city was on the run whereas Lu kept staying out without turning back to pick up his mother. Seriously speaking, a certain prison sentence would perhaps arrive to a woman whose husband was Vice Province chief and son was a pilot specializing in throwing bombs at Vietcong’s bases. Their whole family was a gang of reactionaries and against revolution.

Mrs. Duc Vinh was sitting on the sofa and contemplating in turn everything such as the curtains, wardrobes, art object cupboards, porcelain vases, sparkling crystal jars, a piano which Lu often played, the painting on the wall and the Persian carpet on the floor. Her villa in Tan Son Nhat Soldiers’ family area was much more beautiful than the Hoang Lan one in Hanoi. It was loaded with furnishings, luxury sleeping articles, high standard refrigerators and televisions … But then, she had to leave them all. The doors were locked. Destiny could stuff the job. Vietcong would come and destroy the lock. Some Vietcong high-ranking officer would occupy it and imperturbably become the owner of the superexcellent villa. What a happy state! How lucky Vietcong was! They had to live in the forest, in the underground hideouts or something like that and then they would be able to stay in such conditions. It was also worth their fighting …

The running car was braked sharply at the gate causing the screech of tires. Mrs. Duc Vinh rushed out. Lu’s clothes were damp with sweat. He informed:

-       Mom! Let’s go!

Mrs. Duc Vinh took the suitcases which were carrying her humble assets including clothes and dry provision, the two indispensable things to evacuees while the car was still operating.

The Jeep rushed into the landing strip while the guns were still booming in salvoes and the soldiers were running in a pandemonium. The car went along the bank of a very deep cannon crater which was smoking and the air was full of smell of burning things. In front of Mrs. Duc Vinh’s eyes, a group of soldiers were carrying rifles on their shoulders, running with stamping noises to a plane C130 and going to get in it. However, it hurriedly glided on the landing strip and took off because it was packed with people more than it could. The soldiers were unexpectedly hopeless and started scolding and shouting. A guy went crazy when he raised his submachine gun and fired at the plane with bullets. All of them imitated him. The aircraft C130 got the shivers and then it went up in flames which quickly developed into a stream of fire overflowing on the landing strip. The whole plane including its passengers was smashed and reduced to ashes …

Lu fast drove his Jeep, wheeled round the burning plane C130 as well as the gang of rebel air-force soldiers and then he adjusted the engine of the car at the top of its speed. Arrived another landing strip in a far distance, he stopped his Jeep by the helicopter which had already started and was waiting for taking off.

-       Come on! Chop-chop! – Many people on the plane urged.

Lu carried the two suitcases on one hand and pulled his mother to climb a ladder of the aircraft by another one. One minute later, the plane was taken off and aimed at sea direction. Another helicopter was also taken off and followed the first one. They were flying in single file.

-       That was “Air-force Corps Commander’s” plane – The pilot informed Lu.

-       He hasn’t taken flight until now.

Mrs. Duc Vinh happily recognized that she and the clouds were at the same high. She was escaped. Her son and his pilot companion-in-arms had gone through with careful preparation. She was “enjoying” the flight as though she was taking a tour while the big wheels and ministers were swarming over American Embassy to wait for being picked up by the helicopter. Mrs. Duc Vinh was so pleased with a vengeance that her profound regret about leaving her superexcellent villa in Soldiers’ family area went clean out of her mind as well as her husband whom she didn’t know whether he had launched into eternity or was taken up in Phan Rang.

The plane opened the throttle. The very blue sea was spreading below. From a very far distance, a huge American ship anchoring and waiting for evacuees gradually appeared. The United State didn’t let its allies as well as its coworkers alone. The American people couldn’t protect Vietnam Republic government but they could receive the hopeless losers who had been hiding from Revolution. They were quite good. However, how many people they could approximately pick up.

The helicopter carefully circled above the landing field on the boat. The whole ship was chock-a-block with people who were standing and sitting in disorder and in the way all over the deck. All of them were gripping their suitcases in their arms.

-       Well! We have got out of danger – Lu looked at his mom and breathed a sigh …

Date …

Duc Trung’s tank chain was wheeling and made pools of blood on the streets of Xuan Loc splashed as though he was running over morasses under the rain.

The chain non-stop operated. He came very near Saigon. The circle of working chain looked like the wheel of time – The “historical time” in the wars. The troops of fighters was reaching their finish. They had to be faster, more hurried with a dizzier speed. The tank chains were wheeling at full “throttle of history”.

Duc Trung was contemplating the devastated scenery in Xuan Loc defense line with everything lying about in disorder and in the way just like topography on the Moon. On the way running to Saigon, Duc Trung opened his tank’s lid, stood up and looked at sky. He wanted to shout loudly to show his happiness. He had never expected to experience such minutes in his life.

Duc Trung’s tank section which looked like the “legendary super-wild beasts” was victoriously roaring on the streets. The Corps of Engineers and the units ahead had successfully protected the bridge crossing Dong Nai River so that the flock of wild beasts could dash into the centre of Saigon. The images of tanks were always the symbols of the “marching in Saigon”. Saigon was nigh unto death. A reign was in its dying moments and was drawing its last breath. The heart of that regime would be stopped beating at just the moment when his tank chain parked at the opposing Independent Palace. Trung looked at his watch to count how many minutes left so that the bell of “historical lock” would be struck. The features of white grey buildings in Saigon had already appeared. The 20 year itinerary had reached its finish.

The tank was going to pass the bridge crossing Saigon River. The bridge was so arched that the terrain ahead was hidden from view and nobody could make any observation. The fire-power on the other end of the bridge dropped on Duc Trung’s tank line-up. That was a little bit unexpected second. The leading tank whose nickname was “Red star” was stopped suddenly and covered by a column of smoke. Duc Trung regretfully shouted. What had happened seemed to be extremely unreasonable. But that was the war and the war had to be like that. The leader of the second tank whose nickname was “Yellow star” opened the lid of the tower of the tank cannon, emerged his body in the air and supplied concrete guidance in counter-attacking. The gun barrel of the tank discharged shells. He would like to scream with furiousness. His weather-beaten face was hardened with bloodshot eyes. He raised his hand and pointed at the target ahead. Saigon had already been in front of his face but why his comrade-in-arm still had to fall at the line of its threshold. Another opposing burst of gunfire was being let off in great number and struck him down on the tower of the tank cannon right at the moment the thoughts were in a rage in his mind. One more time, it was due to The war had to be like that. It couldn’t be different. That was the war.

The “Yellow star” tank had already passed the bridge and the objects of the enemy’s fire-power could be seen clearly. The fire-dragons spitted deep resentment, hatred blood and punishment. The group of the enemy’s “armored-plates” on the other end of the bridge had to accept their deaths as a necessity after performing “hopeless counter-attacks” for a while.

Duc Trung’s tank section was superciliously speeding over the bridge and marched in Saigon.

-       Which road is leading to Independent Palace?

-       What is the shortest way leading to Independent Palace?

Duc Trung asked a special task force lady who was waiting at one side of the street. She got on the tank. With a rifle on her shoulder, a broad-brimmed cap on her head, a round face and a lovely smile on her mouth, she raised her hand to give the directions. Following her showing the way, the tanks started roaring and waked up Saigon from a 20 years “sleep” in the “Republican” regime.

All the streets were very spacious and completely deserted. Every house was tightly closed. The plants seemed to be as quiet as the grave. The Saigon special task force members appeared at times to receive the Liberation troops. Duc Trung was in the second tank in the formation. The lid of his tank was still opening. He was still raising his upper body in the air without scaring of the same “scenario” in the previous short while happened again.

Every second was robbed by the tanks which were going to be the words in the century song. They were wheeling all the long-march. And then, they were wheeling their last circles. The Independent Palace – the symbol of a “Vietnam Republican Nation” with its white grey structure features was there in front of their eyes and behind the shade of trees.

Duc Trung cheered loudly:

-       We’ve arrived!

Other soldiers repeated his saying:

-       We’ve arrived!

They had marched for 20 years and then they arrived. The national history had closed its old chapter and begun the new one. Duc Trung’s roaring tanks whose echo would be eternally left a good name behind would be gone down in history by the historical golden lines of words. They would be immortal in time aspect … and resound forever.

The “Yellow star” tank came full butt against the grandiose iron gates of Independent Palace and made it open as if the doors of contemporary regime which had been existence for decades and couldn’t be protected despite of mountains of guns and mountains of ammunition supplied by foreign country was butted and had to wide open. The “symbolic gate” was collapsed on the grass ground. The space turned out to be immense. The tank seemed to open a new chapter of the history …

The behind tanks kept entering and occupying the “fighting” positions. The leading soldier was assigned to hold the flag, quickly rush into the elevator of Independence Palace and set up the flag on the roof of the Palace. The history urged him every one tenth of second. The whole world and mankind were palpitating with wait for him. The sun seemed to flare up brightly when the flag in which the yellow star image pattern was sewed on the half red and half blue background fabric started fluttering in the wind.

The political commissar of brigade got out of the tank. Duc Trung and the group of “leading soldiers” escorted him. They walked on the three steps staircase of Independence Palace. The liberation soldiers had left the traces of their long-march dusty heels of shoes on the stone veranda which was overflowing with sun. Those footsteps would be gone down in the century yellow page. The President, Prime Minister and their cabinet were disorderly waiting in a state of anxious suspense. The delegation of combatants well-equipped with full of firearms animatedly came in. They represented ten thousands of liberation soldiers crowdedly marching with great number of complement in Saigon, towns and entrenched fortifications. They were the symbol of a 20 years protracted resistance war to get national unity.

-       We are waiting for you coming so as to “hand over power” – The President of losing Nation ceremonially spoke.

-       People can’t say “hand over power” once their power was no longer existence – The political commissar corrected the President’s expression.

The political commissar uttered the golden sentences which would be gone down in history. What a meaningful reply! That was the speaking way of a super diplomacy delivered by a developed plain country soldier who used to fight with a scimitar made of thick bamboo. Later on, he smile and informed: That isn’t my saying but the one of history. The history had performed that stunningly yellow lines of letters in my mind and I repeated them when everybody asked him: “How can you give such wonderful speech like that?”.

Duc Trung was a help to Political commissar with paper work so that he could “draft” President’s surrender declaration which President would speak to national people.

The President of Vietnam Republic was deep in thought. He took a pen. He couldn’t be indecisive even one tenth of second in history aspect. The tiny pen was alone lying among “Top-ranking General – President’s” big fingers. His name was written as sinuously as the happening of the war, the situation, fire and sword. A round spot mark was placed behind next to his signature. That was a full stop of second republic regime. That was the full stop of a nation with a yellow flag and three red strips.

The delegation of warriors noisily led President to Saigon radio station so as to declare his surrender saying, order all his army troops on the territory to lay down their arms and have no right to withstand liberation services.

The declaration was thunderously broadcasted on the loudspeaker. The South of Vietnam was liberated. The whole people in Saigon shed their tears. To many Republican army troops in the West of Vietnam which were strong enough to struggle, the President’s surrender declaration and the order for the whole army troops to lay down their arms were just like the water completely stamped out all the remain flames.

The tornado of war in the South of Vietnam had been stopped since that moment …

Duc Trung wheeled round the precinct of Independent Palace. He was standing and talking to a Western journalistic demonstrator who had been there since the moment the tanks were entering. How encourage he was! He brought the camera with him, alone walked from Caraven hotel to Independent Palace on the deserted blood-curdling streets and waited for Revolution tanks which were marching in and liberating while other international journalists were fearfully huddling in Caraven hotel without daring to appear on the streets.

Trung stumbled over his words due to his English ability. His father Ham had taught him since he was a child. In such context and special moment, Trung had his photo taken by the correspondent coming from the West of Germany. He gave him his card visit.

-       My house is in the West of the boundary wall in Berlin – The reporter said – The coincidence is always taken place in history. I used to witness the tanks of the Soviet Union Red Army marching in the Parliamentary Building of the Nazis dated 07 May 1945 when I was still a kid. Today is 30 April and tomorrow will be 01 May. It will be May again (two events will be just one week apart). One more time, I have a chance to witness the tanks of the North of Vietnam marching in and liberating Saigon after 30 years. Berlin was reduced to ashes in May 45. On the contrary, Saigon remains undamaged in May 75. Your resistance is a consecrated one which has ability to face up to the most powerful country on the world named United State. I can’t do anything but give our admiring saying to you.

Duc Trung thanked while he was firmly shaking hands with him.

The cars of Army corps Headquarters had just arrived when he left the chronicler. The Army corps had deployed many directions of attack including the ones marching in Vung Tau, the West of Vietnam and Saigon was only one of such directions of attack. The Corps Commander, Lieutenant-general Vu Hung supplied concrete guidance in roughly deploying the whole front. He had taken full advantage of time to first follow Saigon directions of attack whose speed was so fast like a rocket that the cars of his Headquarters couldn’t afford enough ability for catching up with. His car didn’t reach the veranda floor of Independent Palace until 15 minutes after the puppet President had announced his surrender declaration. The Political commissar of Brigade – the person who had just finished his historical mission came forward, raised his hand above the rim of his hat and said:

-       Report to Lieutenant-general! The job has been fulfilled. The South of Vietnam has been affranchised. The regime of America and its puppets was completely collapsed.

The Lieutenant-general Vu Hung laughed loudly. His eyes dewed with tears while he was looking at the Liberation flag fluttering on the roof of Independent Palace.

Date …

Vu Hung’s headquarters was in the General Staff precinct. He had Trung and Viet Thieu contacted. Trung’s armored section was still staying round and round Independent Palace while Viet Thieu’s battalion was garrisoning in a barracks near the General Staff as well.

On Sunday, three of them decided to disguise themselves as “civilians” and beetled off in Saigon. They hadn’t put their steps on the streets but hung about in the quarters despite they had marched in Saigon since 30 April.

Unfortunately, Do Thanh whose younger natural brother was an officer working for Vu Hung’s General Staff had a white pleasure car Mazda and he would give them a “Saigon tour”. Thanh was a former seasoned newspaperman in Saigon. His wife owned a fabrics store near An Dong market. Thanh operated in “Intellectual drive front” and co-operated with revolutionary spies in supplying important information. Thanh had become the “member” of General Staff in the Army Corps since 30 April and was Vu Hung’s help. That day, they all had “free time”. Thanh sent three of them to Saigon in order to “penetrate” the normal life.

They made one circle. Firstly, they visited Dragon House port where the Commander-in-chief La Toutse Travinle’s ship was anchored and the youth named Nguyen Tat Thanh had stayed on that vessel as a cook helper when he started setting out to find the way to save his country. Then, they had a sight seeing around the city.

Saigon was back to normal with crowded and animated plights. The shops were open for business. Saigon market was being inundated by electrical goods such as radios, cassettes, televisions, refrigerators and motor cycles Honda that hadn’t appeared in Hanoi at that time yet. The three liberation soldiers among who was a Lieutenant-general couldn’t help looking attentively at them.

-       The America had supplied the South of Vietnam with its property and thus the Saigon’s face turned out to be “a prosperous city” – DoThanh “did the voice-over” as if he was a tour guide. Besides, he always had to “stick to his guns” as well – However, most of Southern people are living in poor living conditions. Previously, a large number of American military and civilian consultants were staying in Saigon where colorful restaurants and dance halls always had dense crowds. The life in Saigon is “existentialism” and disturbances. A part of the youth is “debauchery”. They’re leading a “Western modern lifestyle” with many women of easy virtue in shirts which are open to the waists and the armpits messing about in the roads. Gangsters, thieves, robbers and members of the underworld have destroyed the peaceful life. A gangrene body which is rotten to the core is behind such prosperous face …

The car came back Gia Long Palace. Thanh told the political stories:

-       Ngo Dinh Diem used to work here when he was a President. The Americans had supported him but later on he became an obstacle which prevented United State from its free actions in the South of Vietnam. Therefore, Americans gave “the young general staff” the okay to stage a coup d’état. The young general staff had strictly obeyed the Americans and successfully carried out their suggestion. The Americans violently landed their troops on the South of Vietnam which was assumed to be swallowed in one gulp but they were unexpectedly counter-attacked in rags. The Americans turned out to understand that they had made a mistake. A lot of American soldiers fell. American people had raised objections. The American President and the higher class in the United State that were governing America were resigned to thinking of withdrawal in honor by using “let Vietnamese people fight Vietnamese people” policy. That meant Americans would supply money, properties and weapons but wouldn’t directly take part in the war anymore. In 1965, Kissinger who was a professor in Harvard University at that time and hadn’t got a high title in society yet arrived in Saigon in the first time for doing research. Thieu and Ky had given him a low old time. Once coming home, Kissinger concluded: “The South of Vietnam can’t be existence”. In the second time, Kissinger visited Saigon in 1966 and he delivered his second conclusion: “The young generals haven’t got enough quality to be leaders in the South of Vietnam in the war context”.

The above mentioned judgments showed the unavoidable defeat of Saigon regime which had germinated since that moment.

The American’s “withdrawal will” was expressed by the event that Kissinger asked Mr. Raymond Aubrac – who had been Uncle Ho’s acquaintance since Fontainebleau Convention was organized in 1946 to arrive in Hanoi in 1967 in order to “send word” intimating that a talk was ready. Consequently, Paris Conference was taken place accordingly.

Thieu insisted on refusing to give his signature in Paris Conference. Kissinger flied Independent Palace and threatened a sentence: America can individually sign an agreement with Hanoi without getting the present of Saigon …

Thieu was petulant in reply:

o We will fight alone until our equipments are going to run out and we will die if the American drops out …

A top-ranking general Haig – Special envoy of the President Nixon arrived in Saigon dated 16 January 1973. He handed over a Nixon’s letter to Thieu: “I categorically decided to initial an agreement in Paris dated 23 January 1973 and I will alone do it again in case of need. In such a circumstance, I have to make a public explanation which states that your regime is blocking peace process. As a result of this, United State is going to immediately make an unavoidable termination to economic and military aids as well as the human resources in your government are going to be changed and rearranged”. That meant American sponsors had delivered their ultimatum insinuating that Thieu would be refused to consider his title if necessary and thus how Thieu could dare to have any idea. Everybody understands that there are neither permanent allies nor perpetual enemies in politics. Americans had given Diem a high position and then they themselves erased Diem. One more time, Americans had used Thieu at an important function and then they let him alone lost all his power in 1975. All the statesmen in Saigon were mere pawns in the hands of American chess-players. A young general who used to be Saigon Prime Minister bitterly admitted in his reminiscences: “One time, the young general staff truculently had assembled and rounded up politicians in opposition who were members of “Upper council”. All of them were convoked and soundly reprimanded by the Ambassador Taylor who had thrown them a look as though they were wandering students being caught in the act of secretly picking up the fruit in the orchard” …

The Americans insisted on washing their hands of their myrmidons, withdrew and left the war due to the pressure of American people whose President was their choice. They couldn’t stand such a savage war. The puppets in Saigon had to realize that point and take care of themselves. However, they kept clinging and begging. The most ridiculous thing happened when Liberation troops arrived in Phan Rang dated 18 April 1975 Thieu’s messenger flied Washington in order to send Thieu’s letter saying “borrow money so as to … get freedom” to American President in a dangerous and pressing moment which the water was going to come up to one’s neck. The letter mentioned “the last long-term loan worth 3 billions US dollars … the payment period is 10 years and the interest rate is fixed by American National Assembly’s decision …”. The “condescending” words were used in the letter: “This is the last solicitation action which we as a friendly ally would like to send to your American people”.

The American National Assembly “didn’t approve of the propositional loan” no matter Thieu would give the whole national resources such as petroleum and agricultural products as security for it. Kissinger mercilessly delivered a bone-dry announcement: “Vietnamese topic has been brought to an end”.

Thieu was driven to desperation and hopelessness. He was resigned to abridge himself of his position. He reproached his American sponsors with compares full of pictures on television: “You find out your own withdrawal way in honor while our troops are suffering for want of arms, ammunition, helicopters, planes B52 at the moment. What you’re asking of us is beyond our ability. That is just like the stones used to fill up a sea. That looked like an event that you give us three dollars only but urgently expect us to take a flight with first-class seats, stay in a hotel with USD 300 per night rooms, three or four pieces of beefsteak and seven or eight glasses of Western wine rations. We will never accomplish such an extremely odd thing …”

Hung, Trung and Thieu burst out laughing due to the President’s “pavement” saying. What a charming style of telling stories Thanh had! The “instruments” were still engraved in his mind so that he could repeat them, word for word. His sharp press mentality and huge social-political knowledge treasure were worth admiring.

The Mazda passed by the gate of American Embassy Building which was still in disorder conditions despite the Liberation soldiers were still mount guarding as well as tidying up the remainders left from evacuations by air on the roof of Embassy Palace.

-       Superior Vu Hung must have known clearly the event that our troops launched a general offensive in Saigon on Tet holidays in the year of the Monkey in 1968 – Said Do Thanh – However, you have had a thorough knowledge of the work at macroscopic level as a leader whereas I used to have fact-finding trips, witness our soldiers’ ready-for-death actions with my own eyes as a journalist in Saigon. For example, in the combat in the American Embassy at 2 o’clock in the morning, we had a certain number of 17 special task soldiers who had to use touring car for traveling from Phan Thanh Gian street to Thong Nhat one. Then, they got close to the target, killed the guards, petrol-bombed to make the wall collapsed, entered and occupied the ground floor before attacking the first and second ones. The American soldiers in the Embassy building were captured as prisoners of war. It was lucky for Ambassador Bunker who absented on that day otherwise he was going to depart this life.

American soldiers from their bases flocked and laid a siege to Embassy building whose roof was receiving troops landed by the helicopter. That was an unequal fight. Even so, our 17 soldiers hadn’t laid down their lives for our motherland till the last bullet was let off except for a capture due to his serious wound after 6 hours of holding out and it was already full daylight.

That was really a typical suicide combat. They were ready-to-die. They held their deaths for certain but they kept going on their chosen way.

-       We had to carry the war into 9 targets in Saigon in the year of the Monkey in 1968 – Vu Hung felt very highly enthusiastic in reviewing the events whose concrete guidance was supplied in the person of him: Independent Palace, American Embassy Building, Radio Station, General Staff, Tan Son Nhat air port, Police general office, Special region of the City, High Command of Navy and Chi Hoa jail.

The Independent Palace was attacked by a 15-people special task team of which 8 soldiers had sacrificed their lives for our country and the rest had been taken up on Gia Long Street. To cope with our attack in General Staff, the enemy had to mobilize many battalions beside the support of armor-plate and helicopter in fire-power aspect in order to counter-attack and regain the upper hand.

In the year of the Monkey general offensive campaign, we had occupied Hue for a month whereas we hadn’t held on to our target positions in Saigon for much time. However, we made a stir in the whole United State of America, enlightened American people and disheartened in the America’s aggression due to attacking in the right enemy’s mental centre. The strange thing was that the American and puppet troops were densely garrisoning all over Saigon with three lines of security belts and hundreds of thousand soldiers including regular, provincial guards, civil defense of South Vietnam before 30 April 1975 and policemen at that time. How they could let Vietcong not only penetrated deeply into the city but also was able to keep the secret to the last minute and started launching a general offensive …

The general offensive in 1968 was a point of knife which stuck enemy’s heart, knocked out Americans’ spirit and made them backed out by force. The sacrifices and serious losses could be happened. Even so, the ready-to-die cases were necessary in the war. They were ready-to-die in the first Interregional in Hanoi in 1946. One more time, they were then ready-to-die in the year of the Monkey in 1968. That was an exploit in the war history of mankind. The history had its own chapters including the year of the Monkey 1968 chapter and the month of May 1975 chapter for the time being …

Vu Hung remembered those days. His headquarters was located in a forest which wasn’t far from Saigon. The intention of the general offensive all the cities in the South Vietnam at the same time was established very long time before. Its goal was neither the overthrow the American and puppet regime nor the discharge them in East Sea like what it had gained in 1975 at that moment but the demonstration of how the strength of Liberation troops was as well as the sound of the bell which gave the signal of their unavoidable date of common death announcement. The special task teams’ spirit was “ready-to-die”. They made a “holy war” and were “martyrs”. The religion mentioned there was the ideal of affranchising our country. In Hue, an anxious opinion was raised after the time of attack was unanimously set in the meeting: How people could withdraw after successfully carrying the war into the inner city while the enemy was densely taking defense measures. The leader comrade used a “popular” image: It’s not easy at all when we raise our hands to catch lice running on our heads. By the same token, we fight first and we will know how to manage the withdrawal ways by ourselves. That’s why we are accounted ready-to-die.

Vu Hung was a member of Headquarters. He was in charge of Saigon front and its surroundings. The Saigon Special task forces including commando in inner city played an important role. The liberation troops impersonated grassroots and used forged identity cards to infiltrate in inner city. Arms and ammunition that were preserved in the underground hideouts of our secret bases were before assembled from camouflage shipments coming in and out Saigon …

That day, Hung couldn’t prevent him from restlessly recalling such wonderful years when staying in Saigon … His companion in arms fell. The streets in Saigon were impregnated with their blood. Their souls made those streets sacred. The streets received the steps of soldiers of that day marching to affranchise …

The Mazda followed the road leading to Tan Son Nhat. Vu Hung would like to see the view in the air port in those days. Everything was devastated. The coal black planes burnt were lying about in disorder and in the way. The bomb craters were very deep in earth’s womb. The instruction was issued in the person of Vu Hung and the heavy 130mm gun battlefield located in Nhon Trach had let off 300 shells into such air-force station. That collapsed plane storehouse, destroyed half plane quantity, burnt fuel depository caused black smoke merging with oil, densely rising up, spreading a huge cloud and made the planes explosive in the orange flame. The shell raid itself properly sabotaged Ambassador Martin’s evacuation scheme by air applied for American in Tan Son Nhat air port. It was praiseworthy of Martin’s “courage”. He sat on his car with an American flag on it and arrived in there in order to get a field observation by himself right after the shells being let off became less. He disappointedly shook his head and his evacuation plan was changed from planes to helicopters on the roof of Embassy Building.

Martin and the last Americans took the flight no. CH-53 which flied sea direction and landed on the air port on the ship named Midway before moving to the leading boat Blue Ridge. Martin’s shock-dog was brought with him and it was light-heartedly running on the deck. Many high-ranking generals who “supplied concrete guidance in the war” were swarming there. They were distributed tranquillizers, quietly staying in small compartments on the ship and playing the part of “historical witnesses” who were suffering a complete defeat in the last minutes of the war.

They were much weaker in comparison with Chief of the general staff Cao Van Vien who was accounted much more politic. 2 days before or on 27 April, “Chief of the general staff” had his “letter of no paying long-term leave” approved by the President Tran Van Huong (in the room of Thieu’s position). Handing over the power to his second-in-command, Vien took the plane of Military attaché American Embassy Organization (DAO) to fly Bangkok. Then, he had casual wear before buying a plane ticket for a flight to United State. What a quite “decent” escape! It wasn’t like his “colleagues” who were panic-stricken when swarming up the helicopter and transited on gunboat. During 9 years of working as Chief of the general staff for Vietnam Republican armed service, Cao Van Vien was just deskbound when supplying concrete guidance. Besides working hours, he either looked for the quietude in his soul by sitting like a Zen Buddhist on the top storey of his house or kept the lamp lighted to finish his French literary master’s program. Even so, Vien could remain his position as a Top-ranking general who had been commanding millions of soldiers in Saigon. Thieu was taking advantage of Vien’s faith because he was afraid that if another very fine general was assigned to the place of Vien that guy would be able to stage a coup d’état and overthrown Thieu.

-       A “spectacular” landscape came about at 11 o’clock in the afternoon dated 29 April – Do Thanh continued – I had already taken many wonderful pictures as my literatures in the future on that day. The American planes were swarming like flies in the air. The total number was 81 planes among which were 36 helicopters taking off from Hancock ship in the high sea and 45 ones setting out from Takli base (Thailand) were roaring on the sky in Saigon. Their mission was to pick up 1.500 Americans and 6.000 Vietnamese evacuees. Such a topsy-turvy spectacle like that had never happened in Saigon before. On the roof of American Embassy, the view of the people who were swarming up rope ladders in order to get in the planes looked alike the clusters of figs. That was just an America’s shameful symbol in the history of the Vietnamese aggressive war …

… After finishing the tour round “historical event monuments”, Do Thanh sent Hung, Thieu and Trung to Royale restaurant which had just reopened in the centre of Saigon. It remained its luxury display in the time of American consulters and mandarins’ son in Saigon who used to come there for being hedonists. The colorful lamplights were flickering. The waitresses in their short skirts showing their spotless white thighs brought shining glasses of Martel yellow wine. The soft music was passionate.

Frankly speaking, it was a strange environment for Hung, Thieu and Trung. That was the first time they experienced the atmosphere in a five stars international hotel. They were accustomed to the chop-houses “under the commerce forms in Hanoi” and the scenes in which people had to queue up before exchanging the ration tickets for rice whose rate was one rice ration and two noodle portions.

-       There hasn’t been any change, has there? – Thieu made a vague question.

-       What do you mean? – Do Thanh didn’t seem to have caught Thieu’s idea.

-       How it can be like that despite Revolution has arrived in – Trung jerked up his chin towards the waitresses showing their white thighs.

-       There are some styles of “international civilization” we should follow – Vu Hung informed. It was surprised when the army general with extremely strict orders was more “expansive” than his two soldiers.

It was truly that the three soldiers’ spirit was relaxed under the effect of the soft and slow music after their nearly 10 years of listening to the “music of war”.

-       It’s quite comfortable as well – Hung admitted.

Four of them were sipping their glasses of Martel wine.

-       It’s good and has a big different compares to the alcohol made of sticky rice which is producing in our countryside in the North of Vietnam.

A lot of food was displayed including fresh salmons, beef, beefsteak, pig’s trotters for smoking, cheese and so on.

The hotel owner got close to them and ceremonially said while he was rubbing his hands together:

-       I’m Do Thanh’s veteran friend. Today, our restaurant is very pleased to receive our Liberation gentlemen. Do Thanh has informed us in advance and we would like to feast you. That can be counted as the fellow-feeling of the people in Saigon towards Liberation comrades.

Vu Hung raised his glass and thanked him while the waitresses in shirts opening to the upper parts of the breasts were standing and serving.

Do Thanh put his mouth close to the ears of each and whispered after the lunch had been finished:

-       Later on, please to invite three of you to drop into private rooms for taking steam baths so that three beautiful waitresses can give massages.

Hung shook his head.

-       Oh! No! I can’t be allowed! And both of them can’t either.

-       Sir! This is a normal thing. Massage is a science of relaxation.

Three waitresses slipped their skirts showing their staring white spotless bodies and ready for professional competence manipulation.

Vu Hung insisted on coming out. Thieu and Trung were looking back the three girls who were almost in nude and walking behind their superior.

-       We have just affranchised and we are on military management duty. We will “lose our heads” if we do such a thing – Hung warned.

-       How “holy” Revolution is! – Do Thanh made a comment – It’s really “monks”. That’s why the women in Saigon one and all affirm that: Liberation servicemen don’t hurt a fly and even don’t dare to look at any girl. In the war history, the soldiers robbed and forced women on the spot at their will and pleasure when marching in the lost cities. On the contrary, the Vietcong soldiers don’t do anything but look at the stores as though the children are watching Mid-autumn products and star-decorative multi-colored lanterns. All of them want to buy bad quality frames of bicycle which are curved from tin containers and dolls so that those soldiers can give them to their wives and offspring as gifts when they take leaves and return their hometowns.

-       That’s the reason why we have defeated the enemy – Vu Hung explained – Our troops are equipped mental weapon which is cemented into a very fast block without concerning to material whereas the puppet ones are seduced by “the smell of money”. They always calculated for their sake whenever engaging in battle. They would “end of a merry-making party” if they couldn’t get any benefit.

-       Our Vietnam country has just finished a wonderful historical chapter which is immortal forever and I’m happy to be a witness – Do Thanh felt highly enthusiastic.

Leaving Royale restaurant, Do Thanh sent them to the Big Market with Chinese shops and stores that are reopened and being done business in crowds as before. Passing by a church named Parish Priest Tam, Do Thanh told a story:

-       In 1963, “the young generals” got the go-ahead from America before staging a coup d’état. The Colonel Nguyen Van Thieu commanded his troops to carry the war into Gia Long Palace. The American Ambassador gave Diem a phone call and suggested Diem to be a refugee in his Embassy. But Diem hung up on him to show the refusal. What a remarkable “sense of purpose and uprightness”! Diem and Nhu got in the guarded car, followed Ngo Quyen Street in the Big Market area and went directly into Mrs. Cao Van Vien’s house. At that time, Vien whose title was Colonel didn’t take part in the coup d’état. Mrs. Vien suggested them to leave due to security reason. Diem and Nhu’s final destination was Parish Priest Tam church after they had dropped in on a wealthy Chinese businessman named Ma Tuyen. The coup d’état troops asked Diem for his unconditional surrender and traveled abroad right away. Diem replied: “How I can go whereas my mother is still here.” An armored personel carrier M113 arrived in and Diem and Nhu had to get in. Diem was in grey clothes with a briefcase on his hand. On the car, Nhu blamed them: “Why we must use such a vehicle or you haven’t got any other better one.”

A round of gunfire was risen when the car passed by the gate of train station on Red Cross Street. Colonel Nhung, the coup d’état general Duong Van Minh’s bodyguard who was a former commando in French domination times and was notorious for his cruelty withdrew his Colt 12 and gave Diem 6 gunshots and Nhu 9 ones on the spot in the car.

Ngo Dinh Can – Diem younger natural bother – a great landlord in the Center of Vietnam who was infamous for his cruelty was sentenced to death. A ridiculous detail was that Can had lodged his 6 millions US dollars in Swiss bank. Some coup d’état general requested Can to write a deed of transference in which he was a beneficiary and then he would manage to release Can. Nevertheless, Can refused the proposal. He devoted all such amount to the Redeemer religious order Church located in Hue.

-       Vu Hung added – the “pig-headed” young generals staff continued to correct and edit each other by chaotically staging the coup d’états. One soldierly Head of state announced in open “the army is the father of the people”. What a unilateral expression!

Thieu and Trung laughed almost hysterically:

-       How he can be a Fuehrer once he behaved like that.

… The Mazda parked in front of a big building. A luxury shop was set up for trading watches on the first floor. Thanh introduced:

-       Mr. Tran Thang – a capitalist, the shop owner is a former evacuative Northerner in 1954. He started his business with his bare hands. He is in sympathy with our “Vietcong” and he was one of our “bases”.

Vu Hung entered the guest room decorated with splendid elephant’s tusks. The host gave them a high old time and respectively offered each of them a Japanese watch Orien as a small present.

All of them shook their heads:

-       We aren’t allowed because we are Liberation soldiers working in inner city.

Thieu and Trung had bright eyes when they saw the costly automatic watches at the first time in their lives. Previously, they had known about the Soviet Union stem-winders Ponzot. Even so, they didn’t dare to receive.

Mr. Tran Thang was quite happy due to “being affranchised”. However, he didn’t conceal his worries.

-       We must be prevented from freely trading. “The capital regime” is going to be cleared. This watch business will be “a joint state and private undertaking” which is under public ownership. I will become a paid manager. Our government has no place for private enterprises but the State collective ones.

He was surprised after smacking his lips for a while:

-       Why three of you don’t take one watch for each in order to know the time. I feel the stem-winder on our chief Hung’s hand is too old fashion. How you can command the engagement with such watch. Both hour hand and minute hand are clipping-clopping.

-       Thieu smiled – You know! Time of opening fire for 300 cannon shells 130mm which poured into Tan Son Nhat air port and made the whole Saigon moved was set up based on this watch’s operation.

-       We admire Liberation soldiers who fought for fine ideal, liberation and national unity. They haven’t care of their own sake. How about puppet generals and high-ranking officers? Dollars and diamonds and something like that are everything. Individual heroism is placed on the top. Good wine and beautiful girls are too. By the same token, how they can front you …

Thieu asked:

-       Actually, do I wonder how you can build such a fortune like that with two bare hands in the beginning?

Do Thanh made more “introductions”:

-       This is just one of Mr. Thang’s businesses. He has two more big shops specializing in electrical goods, televisions and refrigerators on Ham Nghi and Le Loi Streets.

Thieu couldn’t help being curious:

-       You must have inherited a sizable fortune.

Mr. Thang was absorbed in thought: I was on board in Hai Phong in 1954 when I was 15. Staying here, I was a news-vendor. I slept on the pavement at night. I had a lonely life with neither house nor relative. One owner of a watch store felt sorry for me and recruited me as a servant who tidied and minded the goods. I had studied how to repair watches for increasing knowledge purpose. Then, I became my boss’ trading assistant. The watches were bought at cheap prices, repaired, renewed and sold at high prices. Later on, we expanded our business by buying our supplies wholesale and selling retail. Times passed by, other kinds of watches whose origins were Japan and Switzerland appeared in Saigon. We imported them and sold retail. Little by little, I took care of wholesale network. That came of my nimbleness and expertise. The old host received me as his adopted son. I gradually became important person. How extraordinary the business is! We will kite if we hit a winning streak. I bought a bigger shop and enjoyed my business prosperity which was on the up-and-up. I borrowed with interest from the bank when I was fit for extending my activities into other fields such as electronics, televisions and refrigerators which started appearing in Saigon. All houses wished to have one television for watching and one refrigerator for storing the food. Both things became the symbol of a modern and comfortable life. I had correctly felt the pulse of the market and thus I earned big money when I imported two kinds of such products for trading purpose.

-       I can’t imagine when a little news-vendor could become a capitalist.

-       In Western societies, there are lots of cases like that. In Korea, The kid Daewoo came of a little news-vendor. He had to sell tens of newspapers in order to have enough money to buy rice and feed his mother and his younger persons by birth. Even so, he had established his big economic corporation which is famous all over the world at last.

-       How strange it is! I can’t understand! – Thieu kept being in a divided mind.

-       It’s because you haven’t lived in capital society so that you haven’t got the concept of doing business and feathering your nest.

-       It’s right!

-       To be frank with you, a prosperous economy can only appear in a place where the business is freely operated in the market economy.

-       Vu Hung remarked – However, your mentioned society is full of unfairness and oppression whereas revolution’s target is to erase all unfairness, oppression, the gap between the rich and the poor people. Nobody is the hired person. Everybody is the owner. Nobody is fleeced.

The boss of the watch shop gave a sigh:

-       I can’t catch the political matter. I only know that I’m in sympathy with revolutionary side. I used to contribute lots of money to buy medicine, appliances and articles of daily necessities and secretly send them to liberation region. It was accounted dauntless because I would be in trouble if I was discovered by policemen in Saigon. Even so, I kept doing such dangerous activities. If it was come out at the most I would use the money to “gag” the policemen in Saigon and they would protect me.

-       But you have to get the “certificate” from Liberation side as a proof – Vu Hung reminded – The direct receivers have to write the certificate which is attested and chopped. That will be convenience for you in the future when you fall in line with the life after liberation. Revolution will never forget anyone but the weave of erasing private ownership and non-capitalist won’t spare anybody.

Vu Hung appeared to think of the Stone Farming House in the year 1956 when Mrs. Doctor of Letters Nguyen was still denounced no matter her last basket of rice had been completely scraped so as to support his “Three Goddess war zone” …

The Mazda turned back the headquarters of General Staff when Saigon had just been lighted up. Saigon was back to normal with bright lamplights just like shooting stars. Three of them were sitting on the balcony of the top floor and looking at the city at night. It couldn’t imagine that it used to be the great city of “Vietnam Republican Nation” – the ally of the biggest country on the world named United State of America tens of days ago. And then, the regulation of such mentioned force had been thawed like soap bubbles. It was just like a dream …

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